Sway: Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman.
Another in a long line of psychological behaviors and/or social economics books I have on my list. This one gets points for being brief and easy to read, with really fascinating case studies, but little else.
It was interesting to see yet again the way we think and the way we act are not what we think they are, but the book provides anecdote after anecdote, experiment after experiment and study after study. Then what?
People are stupid and don't always act rationally? Hardly a news flash, but the subtitle of the book describes the pull of irrational behaviour, but nowhere in this book is there such a thing. Instead it simply does what always happens in scientific progress, our understanding of the parameters changes. Things we didn't know - we now know or have uncovered.
All very interesting stuff, particularly in the chapter on job interviews (you should test all applicants before reading their CV's basically - which is a brilliant idea).
Ultmiately I'm not looking for hope or a roadmap to success - just a little more information and insight. It has the information, but no insightful commentary or revelations. It's defeatist as it tends to come full circle as if to say "oh well, that's the way we are, it doesn't make sense does it?"
People are stupid, I know that and I fall prey to the same stupidity sometimes and this book points it out, but that's all.
Not lame, just not great, damned with faint praise?
Perhaps I'll try something completely different next week.
No comments:
Post a Comment